The present invention relates generally to electronic educational devices and, in particular, to an electronic educational video system apparatus for use with a standard television receiver wherein animated graphic displays are utilized to promote the development of a child's learning skills.
In recent years the availability of inexpensive microprocessor technology and integrated circuits have made possible the creation of electronic interactive learning aids designed specifically for young children. Typically questions are posed to the child who must provide a proposed answer which is subsequently compared with the correct answer stored within the learning aid. The typical prior art learning aid thereafter provides the child with an indication of whether the proposed answer is correct.
Early prior art electronic learning aids incorporated small LED or LCD displays to communicate questions to the child and often utilized the same small display to indicate to the child if the child's proposed answer is correct. Such a prior art device is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,213. Other prior art devices relied upon lights or produced different audible tones to signify correct and incorrect responses. Prior art devices which sought to teach a child spelling often utilized external materials in the form of printed workbook containing pictures of common objects whereby the child was prompted to look at the workbook and spell the object pictured therein. More advanced prior art devices incorporated voice synthesizer technology to communicate to the child in a synthesized human voice, though some still utilized small alpha-numeric displays. Such a prior art device is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,260.
While some prior art devices have incorporated larger LCD displays, these and other prior art learning aids often lacked the ability to retain a child's attention for extended periods of time. Moreover, prior art educational devices typically lacked an effective means to communicate correct and incorrect answers to the child in a manner which reinforces the learning process in a graphic manner without repeating the same indication of correctness every time. Accordingly, prior art devices often fall into disuse due to their inability to maintain a child's curiousity and attention.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic educational display system apparatus which is connectable to a standard television receiver for presenting large graphic displays to the child.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an electronic educational video apparatus which presents a child with a pictorial representation and an associated request to input a proposed correct response wherein the pictorial representation is animated to provide an indication to the child of the correctness of the child's proposed correct response.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an educational device which captures and maintains a child's attention through the use of animated graphic displays appearing upon a standard television receiver.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a plurality of interchangeable input devices through which a child may respond to a request supplied by the apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic educational video system apparatus which includes a remote keyboard which communicates with a base unit by infra-red light signals.
Another object of the present invention is to teach a child spelling through the use of animated graphic video displays.
It is a further object of the present invention to teach a child musical skills by using animated graphics of visual displays.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in light of the present specification and drawings.